The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1887-03-23

S'iSuHsJances, Ior ne was rich a
she was poor.
Now she had heard her name coupled
with the obnoxious terms adventures
ana fortune hunter, and the prophec,
that III Mr.. Carlton married her ht
would soon know, as did all others. thai
1t was his wealth that won her,"
She did not know that the remark haC
oeen made expressly for her ear, had
oeen made, too, with the unuttered hone
that Its barbed bitterness might rankle
IN her heart, for had she not dared to,
kindly but uumistakably, refuse the at.
tentlons of the speakers SOM
heenly sensitive to the opinions OF
others, she might yet have dared their
censure, If this latter suggestion had not
given her pause. She loved him so truly
she could not bear that he should think
OF her, even for moment, as she thought
OF Harry Vance; better that they should
part, at once and forever. This was
what she had told herself, again and
again, every hour of that long day and
night.
II she was sure, quite sure, - she told
herself, that her willingness to accent
MIN had not been caused, in part. at
ieast, ana almost unconsciously to herself.
oy her intense hatred of the drudgerv of
teaching, she would not give thought
10 What Others might think, or say, but
she must be sure, quite sure, herself.
lhen-" but the day had been so weary
ing, she was 50 tired, she must have time
10 think 1t all out. But time she was
destined not to have, for scarcely had
the echoes of the shout of the last eman-
clpated urchin died away in the distance
"nen Mr.. Carlton came up to the un-
painted pine desk, where the younc
teacher sat with her head bowed upon
her hand,
Her face was so pale, and she did not
look up and smile as she was wont to do.
her whole attitude was so suggestive of
WEAKNESS, if not of dispair, she was such
a wee morsel of humanity. and he was 40
strong and manly, that somehow. before
ne well knew what he was saving. he was
telling her his passionate longing to take
her into his arms and shield her hence
forth from every discomfort.
She looked up then, with somethino
OF the look the hunter sometimes sees in I
the eyes OF wounded doe, looked up,
ana crushed the hope out of his heart
with cold refusal.
Then came, for her, the slow agony of
nvlng on, day after day, knowing that
she had In that one hour Of weakness cast
ASIDE all that made life worth living; of
walking daily through the furnace of
trial, with the ghost of her dead hopes
ever reproachlng her with the cowardice
that put an end to their bright, but brief
existence.
So two years drifted by. and along
the thorny pathway that she trod Ellice
Gray learned priceless lessons of selfre
lance and courage; learned to be a law
unto herself, and, once having chosen a
pathway, knowing it to be right. grew
strong to follow it steadfastly to the
end, though thousand tongues might
ensure.
Within month after his rejection
Roy left his affairs in the hands of his
teward, to whom he gave power of at
orney, and went away to the CITY. A
'ear passed, and the dishonest steward
urning everything except the Carlton
homestead into money, gathered his
'ooty and fed; and no one knew Rows
.ddress. {
Ellice Gray knew nothing of this.
When vacation came she had given mn
er school, for she could not stay where
verytnlng reminded her of Roy. She
vas teaching IN distant village. when {
ne morning the postman brought her $
sitter which proved TO be from former :
upil IN Shafton, Roy's home Ii told l
the loss Of his property. stated that he a
nd OF ate returned 70 his home: that I
Thlle IN the city he had Joined a volun- Q
ser corps o hrFmen. aud while in the 1
lscharge of as 81. had been struck 5
the sl0~ = - a.ead by a falling tim /
er, aud carried away nscnsible. "When c
e revived, ths letter went on 10 saw. {
he was blind The physician talked of e
analysts OF the optic nerve. thought V
me, or electric treatment, when he had \
'mewhat recovered from the shock II
light be beneficial, but, said the letter Il
Mr.. Carlton does not get better. he
ems to have lost all interest in life - e.
hen the writer went on to give the a.
her news of the village, but Ellice did o
ot read 1t. Hastily she prepared for A II
urney, and when the next train left Il
ie station, it bore her in the direction OF
Shafton. ol
The rosy bushes chased each other ". "
'er her otherwise pale cheeks whenever -
e thought of her errand, but she did :.
u IaIter, even when she rang the bell -
the Squire ~ and was ushered by az
e prim housekeeper into the empty >, -
rlor. Her heart beat tumultouslv as =
e heard the slow, uncertain step come -
wn the stairs, and the hand grope for =, -
e knob of the door. He came in and ~ -
osed the door, and then stood moving %
head from side to side, as if looking 10
r some one. ilt Ie
II beg PARDON" " he said at last. for ~ ~
lice did not speak, ''but does anv one ~ ~,
ut to see mef am blind. 81 81
Yes, Roy" Ellice answered in a ~
oked voice, putting out her hand TO n n
d hlm to seat. 1t was the first time - -,
, had ever called him by h S given ,oS ''
ne, and she saw the light flash over H. H.
face. Iis II.
'Ellice, oh, my darlingm he ex- "
lined, then he stammered, ''forgive
, Miss Gray that l forgot for mo
nj 1t was very kind of you to come. -
4 fear you will think the motive self Low
when l have given you my reasons abb
coming, she replied. strugulin0